Polyacrylates and acrylate/maleate copolymers are widely used as dispersing agents, specifically as soil-suspending and/or anti-redeposition agents, in detergent compositions and confer important cleaning benefits thereon. However, these polymers and copolymers are not easily biodegradable, thereby posing potential environmental problems. Carboxymethyl cellulose is biodegradable at a degree of substitution (DS) of less than 0.7 but, although it confers some whiteness-maintenance benefit to detergent compositions, it is deficient with regard to soil-suspension properties. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for effective agents that will undergo rapid and substantially complete biodegradation; furthermore, it would be advantageous if such agents were to be derived from natural starting materials. EP-A-454126 discloses detergent formulations comprising from 5% to 50% by weight of polyaminoacid derived from glutamic acid. (Published Oct. 30, 1991) .